Enable companies to benefit from international treaties

CMKZ provides a vast experience in the implementation of an increasing number of international treaties binding Canada in all areas, particularly in trade, investments and taxation. We serve as an advisor to countries engaged in organizational and regulatory reforms. We are frequently called upon to present our clients’ interests before international organizations responsible for the implementation of free trade agreements to which Canada is a party and to render legal opinions within the framework of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Implementation of international treaties

We are frequently solicited to render opinions on the development and application of treaties and trade agreements with respect to international trade, promotion and protection of investments, environmental protection, biodiversity, intellectual property, international sale of goods, arbitration and taxation. This practice leads us to deal with diverse questions such as the legality of restrictive trade practices, expropriation measures, export credit programs, the impact of international trade rules on education services, patent priority, sale contract’s reasonable termination notice period, intervention of the Courts in arbitration proceedings.

This practice leads us to deal with diverse questions such as the legality of restrictive trade practices, expropriation measures, export credit programs, the impact of international trade rules on education services, patent priority, sale contract’s reasonable termination notice period, intervention of the Courts in arbitration proceedings. We interact with various international organizations and secretariats, such as the WTO, the North American Free Trade Association Secretariat, the Secretariat of the Convention on Bio-Diversity, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and the network of foreign trade commissioners.

Advising foreign governments

Many governments today have implemented legal and institutional reforms in order to liberalize their economies and promote foreign investments. With this in mind, these governments use, through international competitive bidding, the services of multidisciplinary teams and receive assistance from international financial institutions and government agencies.

Our lawyers have been involved in such projects and teams. They have assisted foreign countries such as Lithuania and Algeria in their process of accession to the WTO, and other nations such as Mauritania, Togo and Comoros in their pursuit of legal and institutional reforms in relation to trade law. Aware of the economic and the social impacts that our intervention can have on people and on public and private institutions of the countries concerned, we take part in these mandates in accordance with the highest standards of competence and integrity.